How to Leverage Social Sites Like a Content King – Part 2

Content professionals must be savvy about the social sites they use on a daily basis in order to better understand the markets their clients want to reach. These sites offer invaluable opportunities to improve writing craft, marketing acumen, and to refine the subtle art of networking.

Last week we covered the vital seven social sisters content gurus leverage for success: Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Reddit, YouTube, Pinterest and StumbleUpon. This week we will address the remaining five rock stars on the social scene that everyone in content should understand.

1. Tumblr

With 94.6 million blogs and just as many options as Pinterest, many people are surprised that Tumblr was surpassed by the much newer site in popularity. While Pinterest is sleeker and more user friendly, tried and true friends of Tumblr prefer its distinctive styling. Here are a few of the easiest ways content lovers can infiltrate the masses and get the best out of Tumblr.

Photoset: Using this app for iPhones or iPods Tumblr members can quickly upload sets of photos. While content writers might not use this feature, content curators could find value in photo sets that tell stories. Also, writers can use this app to share graphic novel-like short stories in all of the 12 languages supported by Tumblr.

Mega-Editor: This tool allows Tumblr fans to quickly edit multiple posts at once. This is useful for content professionals who are searching for jobs and using specific keywords to attract clients. Also, this tool could help sloppy content lovers to hide their less-public posts quickly if employers will be looking them up, soon.

Bookmarklet: Writers will love Bookmarklet, which is listed under Tumblr’s goodies for users. It allows people to easily capture formatted text and pictures, as well as offering advanced features. The best thing about Bookmarklet is that it correctly credits sources, which all content professionals can appreciate.

While Tumblr is often forgotten with old giants like MySpace and LiveJournal in favor of new models like Pinterest and Facebook, Tumblr has more value for content writers and editors than people realize. From scheduled blogs to easy RSS feeds for busy streams, content mavens should give this site a second look, and even start their own page.

2. Instagram

While most people simply upload quick shots to Facebook to share them, others choose to do it via Instagram in order to use additional filters, friend lists and social outreach options. How does this social site serve the content obsessed? With pithy quotes and article snippets, the photo text attachment can groom content writers in the art of succinct prose. Here are a few ways to refine your Instagram sharing skills.

InstaMeets: Writers and content editors can quickly meet other Instagram lovers by hosting a meet-up in their hometown. Much like MeetUp, this feature allows people to connect and plan events. It could be useful for content lovers who would like to start reading groups, writing clubs or even peer review groups.

Blog.Stagram: This app allows Instagram elite to join forces in a blogging community that focuses on photography skills. Content professionals can use this app to get inside the minds of the Instagram market.

Web.Stagram: This site allows Instagram addicts to oversee their activities, likes, shares and how their followed friends behave on the site. Content writers can learn the power of keywords by using its keyword or tag browsing option.

While the uses for a predominantly photo-centric site for a content professional are a bit iffy, the point is that Instagram hosts people that clients want to market to, which means that social content creators must understand the site. Also, like Twitter, Instagram offers the invaluable opportunity to fine-tune quick-and-dirty tag writing skills.

3. Flickr

Not only is Flickr one of the leading sources of creative commons images for online article publication, but it also houses a lot of brilliant cliques. People in social content creation need to know and implement Flickr readily, and thus they need these awesome apps and tricks.

The Commons: Most freelance content writers will already be familiar with The Commons due to its free image sharing options. However, this part of Flickr also offers the opportunity to learn about the past from photographs. Writers who are assigned period pieces can use The Commons to view relevant historical photographs for inspiration.

Groups: Joining relevant groups on Flickr can lead to exclusive gallery invitations, offers from artists to use their work without royalties for mutual publication and other exciting venues. Content managers and editors should be excited for this chance to meet new talent, and others who are involved in social sharing.

FlickrSlideshow: This awesome app allows users to create embedded slideshows of Flickr images for articles and other projects. Content-minded professionals can use this app to create more dynamic content and to incorporate entire albums into content.

With so many exciting opportunities, it’s impossible to overlook Flickr as a content maven. While most people think of it just for images, the more astute users understand the value of Flickr’s groups and members.

4. LinkedIn

Every professional on the planet seems to be using LinkedIn for its more obvious functions already, but there is so much more to explore for content gurus. From networking to posting, this site is as complex as other social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter. Here are a few content-minded strategies to get more out of your time on LinkedIn.

Stalking: Yes, we have all stalked our friends, bosses and exes on Facebook. However, most people forget that LinkedIn is to professional life what Facebook is to Friday night. Stalking past, present and future business contacts is easy when you work in the same industry (you will most likely be a 2nd or 3rd degree contact). Use this opportunity to find out if they have jobs posted, favorite articles noted and what else they are doing.

Back-Tracking: Starting with someone who left you a great public referral on LinkedIn, back-track to their page, and then to their professional connections’ pages. This is a great place to browse for content writing opportunities and for industry news. The best aspect of back-tracking is that if you do contact the unwitting acquaintance, he or she will first know you by your mutual acquaintance’s glowing referral.

Sharing: While most people understand the value of sharing articles on LinkedIn, very few people know that they need to share their connections’ pieces. Doing this will tighten the web between yourself and your content clients.

OpenLink: Leverage OpenLink whenever possible as a content creator in order to network. Whenever a relevant contact has the OpenLink ring by his or her name, content professionals can send free InMail messages to the person.

Poll Groups: After joining a group in your industry you are entitled to email the group up to once a week. This email can take the form of a poll, which is useful for content professionals who want to understand their industry better. However, this email can also be used to share articles, build friendships and learn more about job opportunities.

There are so many other ways to leverage LinkedIn like a content king that it could be its own article. If you aren’t using LinkedIn as a content professional, then you aren’t really trying.

5. MySpace

Like LiveJournal and other old sites we all believed were dead and gone, MySpace is in fact still kicking. With more than 70 million monthly visitors, MySpace is considered one of the top five social networking sites, in fact. So, for those content gurus who never wanted to flash back to 2005, here is a brief synopsis of how to leverage this music powerhouse of social prowess.

What’s Trending: Quickly learn what’s trending on MySpace and beyond by scrolling to the bottom of the new Myspace page. This area ranges from 10-20 clever phrases to 20 different phrasings of “Justin Timberlake Song New OMG.” This feature is useful for all content creators who need to know what topics to develop next.

Connectedness: It’s easy to understand how connected you are to another user when you read MySpace’s icons. This is useful for content professionals who want to hide certain content from the masses, or to share everything publicly.

While MySpace is a great venue for professional content creators who are heavily involved in the music industry, it doesn’t prove important for every content writer or editor.

Conclusion

Every social site offers something for content professionals, whether it’s readily apparent (as it is on sites like Facebook and Twitter) or less obvious. While these five sites might be frequented less often by content writers and editors, they do deserve acknowledgement, study, and insight.